Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. FINDLEY, OF BRYAN, ASSIGNOR ONE-THIRD HIS RIGHT TO TALBOT M. BOWLES, OF BUBLESON COUNTY, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,766, dated April 29, 1879; application filed August 5, 1878.

To all whom it-may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W.FINDLEY, of Bryan, Brazos county, in the State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles and Swivel-Wheels for other Purposes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming part of this specification.

My improvement consists in a tubular ring attached to the head-block and perch, with a slot around its under side. In the bore of the ring work sliding blocks, which fit the bore and are rigidly connected to the front axle, as more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is an under perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a section at an ac, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is a section at or on, Fig. 2.

A is the fore axle, which may be part of iron and part of wood, as shown, (6 being the iron, and a the wooden, portion.

B B are clips, by which the parts of the axle are attached together. These clips are of the usual construction, except that they have a head, 0, which slides in the hollow or bore of the tubular slotted ring, and in that thetie-pieces b of the clips end in a brace, O

u o I v I at whose rear part is a sliding head, 1), similar to those upon the clips, and working in the tubular ring D for the same purpose. The sliding heads b are connected with the clips B and brace C by necks I), which slide in the slot at at the under side of the tubular ring D.

The tubular ring D has firm attachment to the head-block E and to the perch F by means of the clips G, which are cast upon the ring or ci'rcle D, and extend up beside the perch and head-block. These clips or lips Gr, when the ring D is formed of any malleable metal, may be made to bend inward and embrace the perch and head-block, as shown.

At H are shown rivets or bolts, which pass through the clips G and the perch or headblock, as the case may be.

In some vehicles it may be advantageous to run the perch through the head-block, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and in this case a clip, G, would be formed upon the front part of the ring D, to engage the front end of the perch.

There may be two or more perch bars clipped to the ring or circle D. These modifications would be substantially equivalent one to another.

As another modification, the brace 0 may be duplicated before the axle, and have a similar connection with that b b of the clips B and brace G with the ring D. lines. Fig. 3.)

cl is the bore or hollow of the ring D, in which the heads I) I) slide, and which they are made to fit neatly. They are preferably kept lubricated to ease their motion and for the avoidance of noise.

The ring has a gap, D, upon the inner side, to allow the introduction of the heads 12 into the bore cl, and this gap may be closed by the insertion of a piece of metal, if desired.

' b are wings upon the clips, extendingalong the top of the axle A.

The bore (1 may be circular in section, as shown, or it may have any other suitable form and the heads or blocks I) I) would, in any case, be made to fit the interior of the bore.

1 do not claim, broadly, a fifth-wheel in the form of a complete circle; nor do I claim, broadly, a fifth-wheel grooved in its interior, as these features, separately considered, are old; but

What I do claim as my invention is- 1. The ring D, attached to the head-block E, and having a gap, D, upon its inner side, and an internal unobstructed passage extending throughout its circumference, with segmental clip-slides I) 12 secured to the axle A, said clips being introduced into the bore 01 of the tubular ring through the gap D, and working in said passage or bore, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the ring or ringseginent D, clips B, and axle A, the brace 0, provided with a slide block or head, b substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of perch F, head-block (See dotted E, ring D, slide blocks or heads b 2), clips B, brace O, and axle A, substantially as and for r the purpose set forth.

. JAMES W. FINDLEY. Witnesses:

THos. J. ONSTOTT, G. W. OLAPP. 

